Prognostic implications of ductal carcinoma components in -positive breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: Although the breast cancer susceptibility gene -associated invasive breast cancer is well studied, there are limited reports on ductal carcinoma (DCIS) in patients with mutations. This study aims to evaluate the differential prognostic effect of DCIS in breast cancer patients with pathologic variants of genes.

Methods: Breast cancer patients who tested positive for mutations between August 2003 and January 2022 at a single tertiary referral center were retrospectively analyzed.

Characterization of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and their spatial distribution in triple-negative breast cancer.

Background: The tumor immune microenvironment, particularly tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), plays a critical role in disease progression and treatment response in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs). This study was aimed to characterize the composition of TILs and investigate their clinicopathological and prognostic significance with a special focus on the spatial distribution of TILs in TNBCs.

Methods: We analyzed TNBC samples through PanCancer Immune Profiling using NanoString nCounter assays to identify immune-related genes that are expressed differentially in relation to TIL levels and evaluated protein expression of selected markers through immunohistochemical staining on tissue microarrays.

Breast Cancer Statistics in Korea, 2021.

The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) has collected nationwide registry data on clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment since 1996. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea and assess changes in breast cancer statistics for 2021 using data from the KBCS registry and the Korean Central Cancer Registry. In 2021, 34,628 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Concordance of HER2 status between core needle biopsy and surgical resection specimens of breast cancer: an analysis focusing on the HER2-low status.

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low status has recently gained attention because of the potential therapeutic benefits of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in breast cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the concordance of HER2 status between core needle biopsy (CNB) and subsequent surgical resection specimens focusing on the HER2-low status.

Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in 1,387 patients with invasive breast cancer whose HER2 status was evaluated in both CNB and surgical resection specimens.

Automated Versus Handheld Breast Ultrasound for Evaluating Axillary Lymph Nodes in Patients With Breast Cancer.

Objective: Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) is a relevant imaging technique for early breast cancer diagnosis and is increasingly being used as a supplementary tool for mammography. This study compared the performance of ABUS and handheld ultrasound (HHUS) in detecting and characterizing the axillary lymph nodes (LNs) in patients with breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of women with recently diagnosed early breast cancer (≤ T2) who underwent both ABUS and HHUS examinations for axilla (September 2017-May 2018).

A Comparison of the Prognostic Effects of Fine Needle Aspiration and Core Needle Biopsy in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Nationwide Multicenter Prospective Registry.

(1) Background: Breast core needle biopsy (CNB) is preferred over fine needle aspiration (FNA) as it has higher sensitivity and specificity and enables immunohistochemical evaluation. However, breast FNA remains widely used because of its low cost, minimally invasive nature, and quick results. Studies analyzing the effects of each test on the prognoses of patients with breast cancer are scarce and controversial, and the criteria for test selection remain unknown.

Outcome Analysis of Combined Surgical Approaches in Advanced-stage Upper Extremity Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema.

Background: This study aimed to discuss several surgical approaches for advanced-stage breast cancer-related lymphedema and compared their treatment outcomes.

Methods: The patients who underwent surgery with International Society of Lymphology stage III lymphedema were included in this study. The three surgical methods used here were (1) suction-assisted lipectomy with lymphovenous anastomosis, (2) autologous breast reconstruction with muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis muscle flap combined with inguinal lymph node transfer, and (3) vascularized lymph node transfer with free omental flap.

Development of a Breast Cancer Risk Prediction Model Incorporating Polygenic Risk Scores and Nongenetic Risk Factors for Korean Women.

Background: To develop a breast cancer prediction model for Korean women using published polygenic risk scores (PRS) combined with nongenetic risk factors (NGRF).

Methods: Thirteen PRS models generated from single or multiple combinations of the Asian and European PRSs were evaluated among 20,434 Korean women. The AUC and increase in OR per SD were compared for each PRS.

Development and External Validation of a Machine Learning Model to Predict Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Several predictive models have been developed to predict the pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC); however, few are broadly applicable owing to radiologic complexity and institution-specific clinical variables, and none have been externally validated. This study aimed to develop and externally validate a machine learning model that predicts pCR after NAC in patients with breast cancer using routinely collected clinical and demographic variables.

Methods: The electronic medical records of patients with advanced breast cancer who underwent NAC before surgical resection between January 2017 and December 2020 were reviewed.

Diagnostic accuracy of a three-protein signature in women with suspicious breast lesions: a multicenter prospective trial.

Background: Mammography screening has been proven to detect breast cancer at an early stage and reduce mortality; however, it has low accuracy in young women or women with dense breasts. Blood-based diagnostic tools may overcome the limitations of mammography. This study assessed the diagnostic performance of a three-protein signature in patients with suspicious breast lesions.

Recurrence is Not Associated with Margin Status in Phyllodes Tumor.

Background: Phyllodes tumor (PT) is a rare fibroepithelial neoplasm of the breast. The proper extent of resection is still under debate. This study aimed to investigate the optimal surgical margin to prevent recurrence after surgery for PT and to evaluate risk factors for local recurrence (LR).

Conventional versus modified nipple sparing mastectomy in immediate breast reconstruction: Complications, aesthetic, and patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) followed by immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is the optimal surgical treatment for breast cancer. However, investigations are ongoing to improve the surgical technique to achieve better results. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of modified NSM (m-NSM), which preserves the anterior lamellar fat layer, in patients who underwent IBR.

Effect of Estrogen Receptor Expression Level and Hormonal Therapy on Prognosis of Early Breast Cancer.

Purpose: Estrogen receptor (ER) expression in breast cancer plays an essential role in carcinogenesis and disease progression. Recently, tumors with low level (1%-10%) of ER expression have been separately defined as ER low positive (ERlow). It is suggested that ERlow tumors might be morphologically and behaviorally different from tumors with high ER expression (ERhigh).

The Effect of Body Mass Index on Initial Breast Cancer Stage Among Korean Women.

Background: The relationship between obesity and breast cancer stage is not well-known in the Korean population. This study aimed to identify the effect of body mass index (BMI) on initial breast cancer stage.

Patients And Methods: Among patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer (stages 0-III) from June 2003 to December 2018, we analyzed 4510 patients for whom there were BMI data.

The Potential Predictors in Chemotherapy Sensitivity.

Monitoring of patient and tumor during chemotherapy is important to determine whether the chemotherapy is effective to the patient. Variants affect drug enzyme activities and altered enzyme activities can be potential predictors for chemotherapeutic agents including cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel. Response to chemotherapy is primarily based on somatic mutations but germline variants may predict cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents.

Validating machine learning approaches for prediction of donor related complication in microsurgical breast reconstruction: a retrospective cohort study.

Autologous reconstruction using abdominal flaps remains the most popular method for breast reconstruction worldwide. We aimed to evaluate a prediction model using machine-learning methods and to determine which factors increase abdominal flap donor site complications with logistic regression. We evaluated the predictive ability of different machine learning packages, reviewing a cohort of breast reconstruction patients who underwent abdominal flaps.

Risk Factors for Tamoxifen-Induced Ovarian Hyperstimulation in Breast Cancer Patients.

Introduction: Adjuvant endocrine therapy is an integral component of care for hormone-dependent breast cancer. Tamoxifen is a potent inducer of ovarian function and consequent hyperestrogenism in premenopausal women. However, the incidence rate and risk factors associated this phenomenon remain unclear.

Detection of Germline Mutations in Breast Cancer Patients with Clinical Features of Hereditary Cancer Syndrome Using a Multi-Gene Panel Test.

Purpose: Hereditary cancer syndrome means that inherited genetic mutations can increase a person's risk of developing cancer. We assessed the frequency of germline mutations using an next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based multiple-gene panel containing 64 cancer-predisposing genes in Korean breast cancer patients with clinical features of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC).

Materials And Methods: A total of 64 genes associated with hereditary cancer syndrome were selected for development of an NGS-based multi-gene panel.

Contralateral Breast Cancer and Ipsilateral Breast Tumor Recurrence in Carriers and Non-Carriers at High-Risk of Hereditary Breast Cancer.

Purpose: We evaluated the risk of contralateral breast cancer (CBC) and ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) and investigated the predictive factors for CBC and IBTR in breast cancer patients with mutations and non-carriers at high-risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC).

Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected clinical data of patients with unilateral breast cancer who were at high-risk for HBOC and were tested for the mutation between 2003 and 2013.

Results: The cohort comprised 540 patients with 45 carriers, 50 carriers, and 445 non-carriers.

Risk factors for locoregional disease recurrence after breast-conserving therapy in patients with breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: An international collaboration and individual patient meta-analysis.

Background: Several studies have reported a high risk of local disease recurrence (LR) and locoregional disease recurrence (LRR) in patients with breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) and breast-conserving therapy (BCT). The objective of the current study was to identify potential risk factors for LR and LRR after NCT and BCT.

Methods: Individual patient data sets from 9 studies were pooled.